Steamed Rice is an essential part of Japanese cuisine. Before getting to the fancy dishes 😉, let’s refresh our memories so that we will be able to have the most important component of Japanese meals.
Shio Koji (塩麹) is Salty Koji seasoning that can be used to season various food and marinate meat. Koji is white rice with edible fungus, and it is used to ferment food such as Miso and Soy Sauce.  When Koji is fermented with salt and water, it develops a salty but mellow flavor with a touch of sweetness.  Originally Shio Koji was a very old traditional seasoning in Japan, and hadn’t gotten much attention for a long time until about a decade ago.  Somehow it was picked up in the 2010s again, and it became a mainstream seasoning for many modern Japanese dishes.
Abekawa Mochi is a famous regional food of Shizuoka prefecture, west of Tokyo. It is freshly cooked Mochi coated with Kinako soybean powder and sugar. This simple Mochi dessert is popular in the area of course and everywhere in Japan. Abekawa Mochi is found in Wagashi Japanese sweet shops and supermarkets, but it is quite easy to make at home too.
Gobo Salad is a popular side dish that is often in bento boxes or an item in the deli case at stores. It is a healthy and tasty dish you want to add to your meals sometimes.
Ham Roll is a typical Japanese savory bread roll that can be found at many local bakeries in Japan. Thinly sliced ham is interestingly rolled into bread dough and baked, and it shows a nice swirl pattern in the end product. Ham Rolls may look a little complicated but they are actually quite simple to make once you know how to do it. We used the bread dough from our Japanese Basic Bread recipe which is light and fluffy, and perfect for these yummy rolls. If you are not familiar with Japanese Basic Bread, please check out that video first before tackling this dish to avoid an unsuccessful result.
Ochazuke is Steamed Rice with hot tea poured over and some added toppings. It is not really a formal meal, but Ochazuke is often eaten when you don’t have time or don’t want to cook. Dashi Chazuke is using seasoned Dashi instead of merely tea, so there is a tiny bit more cooking involved to make Dashi broth.
Kabocha Salad is mashed Kabocha mixed with mayo and seasonings. It is a popular side dish for Bento or any Japanese meal. Kabocha (Japanese pumpkin) is sweet, healthy, and very versatile. You can cook it just like potatoes. Mash it, fry it, simmer it, etc. We made Kabocha salad with cucumbers here, but you could add other vegetables like sliced onion or cooked broccoli, and some protein like boiled eggs or ham. It is similar to Japanese potato salad, but the ingredients here are a lot simpler. Kabocha can be softened in the microwave very easily and quickly, so the salad can be made in no time. It could be mashed completely to have a smooth texture or leave some chunks to enjoy a heartier dish. This salad is so easy and tasty that you need to try it for a weekday supper
Curry Korokke is just like Japanese Potato Korokke (croquette) but the filling is flavored with curry powder. The process and ingredients of making Curry Korokke are very similar to regular Korokke, but a little change of the spice makes this ordinary entree taste like a completely different food.
